Here's how you can expect your baby's talking to progress. If he's being raised in a bilingual environment, the number of words he can speak will be split between the two languages he's learning.

In uteroMany researchers believe the work of understanding language begins while a baby is still in utero. Just as your unborn baby gets used to the steady beat of your heart, he tunes into the sound of your voice. Days after birth, he's able to discern your voice among others.

Birth to 3 monthsCrying is your baby's first form of communication. And one cry doesn't fit all: A piercing scream may mean he's hungry, while a whimpering, staccato cry may signal that he needs a diaper change. As he gets older, he'll develop a delightful repertoire of gurgles, sighs, and coos.

As for his ability to understand language, he's starting to pick up what words sound like and how sentences are structured as he listens to those around him. Linguists say babies as young as 4 weeks can distinguish between similar syllables, such as "ma" and "na."

4 to 6 monthsAt this stage, your child will start to babble, combining consonants and vowels (such as "baba" or "yaya"). The first "mama" or "dada" may slip out now and then. Though it's sure to melt your heart, your baby doesn't equate those words with you quite yet. That comes later, when he's almost a year old.

Your baby's attempts at talking will sound like stream-of-consciousness monologues in another language, with endless words strung together. Vocalization is a game to your baby, who's experimenting with using his tongue, teeth, palate, and vocal chords to make all sorts of funny noises. At this stage, babbling sounds the same, whether you speak English, French, or Japanese in your home. You may notice your child favoring certain sounds ("ka" or "da," for example), repeating them over and over because he likes the way they sound and how his mouth feels when he says them.

7 to 12 monthsWhen he babbles and vocalizes now, your baby will sound as if he's making sense. That's because he's trying out tones and patterns similar to the ones you use. Foster his babbling by talking to him and reading to him.

13 to 18 monthsNow your child is using one or more words, and he knows what they mean. He'll even practice inflection, raising his tone when asking a question, saying "Up-py?" when he wants to be carried, for example. He's realizing the importance of language as he taps into the power of communicating his needs.

19 to 24 monthsThough he probably says about 50 to 70 words now, your child may understand as many as 200 words, many of which are nouns. Between 18 and 20 months, he'll learn words at the rate of 10 or more a day (so watch your language!). He'll even string two words together, making basic sentences such as "Carry me."

By the time he's 2, your child will use three-word sentences and sing simple tunes. His sense of self will mature, and he'll start talking about what he likes and doesn't like, what he thinks and feels. Pronouns may confuse him, which is why he might say "Baby throw" instead of "I throw."

25 to 36 monthsYour toddler may struggle for a while to find the appropriate volume to use when talking, but he'll learn soon enough. He's also starting to get the hang of pronouns, such as "I," "me," and "you." Between ages 2 and 3, your child's vocabulary will grow to up to 300 words. He'll string nouns and verbs together to form complete, simple sentences, such as "I go now."

By the time he turns 3, your child will be a pretty sophisticated talker. He'll be able to carry on a sustained conversation and adjust his tone, speech patterns, and vocabulary to his conversation partner. For instance, he'll use simpler words with a peer, but be more verbal with you. By now he may be almost completely intelligible. He'll even be a pro at saying his name and age, and will proudly oblige when asked.

Here's how you can expect your baby's talking to progress. If he's being raised in a bilingual environment, the number of words he can speak will be split between the two languages he's learning.

In uteroMany researchers believe the work of understanding language begins while a baby is still in utero. Just as your unborn baby gets used to the steady beat of your heart, he tunes into the sound of your voice. Days after birth, he's able to discern your voice among others.

Birth to 3 monthsCrying is your baby's first form of communication. And one cry doesn't fit all: A piercing scream may mean he's hungry, while a whimpering, staccato cry may signal that he needs a diaper change. As he gets older, he'll develop a delightful repertoire of gurgles, sighs, and coos.

As for his ability to understand language, he's starting to pick up what words sound like and how sentences are structured as he listens to those around him. Linguists say babies as young as 4 weeks can distinguish between similar syllables, such as "ma" and "na."

4 to 6 monthsAt this stage, your child will start to babble, combining consonants and vowels (such as "baba" or "yaya"). The first "mama" or "dada" may slip out now and then. Though it's sure to melt your heart, your baby doesn't equate those words with you quite yet. That comes later, when he's almost a year old.

Your baby's attempts at talking will sound like stream-of-consciousness monologues in another language, with endless words strung together. Vocalization is a game to your baby, who's experimenting with using his tongue, teeth, palate, and vocal chords to make all sorts of funny noises. At this stage, babbling sounds the same, whether you speak English, French, or Japanese in your home. You may notice your child favoring certain sounds ("ka" or "da," for example), repeating them over and over because he likes the way they sound and how his mouth feels when he says them.

7 to 12 monthsWhen he babbles and vocalizes now, your baby will sound as if he's making sense. That's because he's trying out tones and patterns similar to the ones you use. Foster his babbling by talking to him and reading to him.

13 to 18 monthsNow your child is using one or more words, and he knows what they mean. He'll even practice inflection, raising his tone when asking a question, saying "Up-py?" when he wants to be carried, for example. He's realizing the importance of language as he taps into the power of communicating his needs.

19 to 24 monthsThough he probably says about 50 to 70 words now, your child may understand as many as 200 words, many of which are nouns. Between 18 and 20 months, he'll learn words at the rate of 10 or more a day (so watch your language!). He'll even string two words together, making basic sentences such as "Carry me."

By the time he's 2, your child will use three-word sentences and sing simple tunes. His sense of self will mature, and he'll start talking about what he likes and doesn't like, what he thinks and feels. Pronouns may confuse him, which is why he might say "Baby throw" instead of "I throw."

25 to 36 monthsYour toddler may struggle for a while to find the appropriate volume to use when talking, but he'll learn soon enough. He's also starting to get the hang of pronouns, such as "I," "me," and "you." Between ages 2 and 3, your child's vocabulary will grow to up to 300 words. He'll string nouns and verbs together to form complete, simple sentences, such as "I go now."

By the time he turns 3, your child will be a pretty sophisticated talker. He'll be able to carry on a sustained conversation and adjust his tone, speech patterns, and vocabulary to his conversation partner. For instance, he'll use simpler words with a peer, but be more verbal with you. By now he may be almost completely intelligible. He'll even be a pro at saying his name and age, and will proudly oblige when asked.

I wouldn't count it as a first word unless it seemed like there was meaning behind it. That being said, I truly believe Brooklyn said mama the other day and ever since then and knows what she is saying. I've been "practicing" mama with her for months. She looks at me when she says it no matter who is holding her. She says it until I come pick her up. When she wakes up in the middle of the night or in the morning she says it until I get her out of her crib. I consider that to mean she knows "mama"

I wouldn't count it as a first word unless it seemed like there was meaning behind it. That being said, I truly believe Brooklyn said mama the other day and ever since then and knows what she is saying. I've been "practicing" mama with her for months. She looks at me when she says it no matter who is holding her. She says it until I come pick her up. When she wakes up in the middle of the night or in the morning she says it until I get her out of her crib. I consider that to mean she knows "mama"

I always thought it was if they repeated it within a secent amount of time. Aidan has said mama 4 or 5 times but it has been several days apart and its always when he's crying. There is intent there but he's never repeated within a short amount of time. So im interested to hear what other mom's have to say too.

I always thought it was if they repeated it within a secent amount of time. Aidan has said mama 4 or 5 times but it has been several days apart and its always when he's crying. There is intent there but he's never repeated within a short amount of time. So im interested to hear what other mom's have to say too.

That is what I believe because they babble alot now at this age with word with M, D, G, N, B, and L sounds so I think it is pretty much considered babbly until they mean it. But if Collier accidently babbles "mommy" then we are so counting it LOL Ha!

That is what I believe because they babble alot now at this age with word with M, D, G, N, B, and L sounds so I think it is pretty much considered babbly until they mean it. But if Collier accidently babbles "mommy" then we are so counting it LOL Ha!

I was wondering the same thing. Alex started saying Mama this weekend. I said it didn't count because he didn't know what he was saying, but DH says it counts because he's clearly saying it because I say it. I tell him "say Mama" a few times and he'll start saying it, so he's definitely doing it on purpose, it's not just babble, but I'm pretty sure he has no idea what it means.

I was wondering the same thing. Alex started saying Mama this weekend. I said it didn't count because he didn't know what he was saying, but DH says it counts because he's clearly saying it because I say it. I tell him "say Mama" a few times and he'll start saying it, so he's definitely doing it on purpose, it's not just babble, but I'm pretty sure he has no idea what it means.

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